Councilman fights perception conflict

JACKSONVILLE, FL — Former City Council President and current councilman Richard Clark has been cleaning up a perceived mess at City Hall lately, the latest of which involves his family-owned cleaning company and its deal with the National Football League''s Jaguars, according to JAX-TV.

People are upset about Clark skipping out of last week''s council meeting with another council member and having dinner with Jaguars officials after voting to approve a multimillion dollar stadium naming rights deal, the article noted.

An e-mail from Jacksonville resident David G. sums up the frustration: "Richard Clark should either be fired or resign. There is truly an ethics violation as well as a conflict of interest since he is contracted for janitorial service for the Jaguars."

Clark''s family business, Supreme Cleaning, has had a contract with the Jaguars for 12 years cleaning offices at the stadium, the article stated.

According to the article, just last week, Clark voted in favor of the naming rights deal, which transferred $4 million of city money to the Jaguars.

If Jaguars owner Wayne Weaver would have said he would move the team if the naming rights deal was not passed, there would have been a conflict because Clark''s family cleaning business would have lost its contract with the Jaguars, the article added.